Uniqlo, operated by Japanese apparel giant Fast Retailing, has confirmed plans to hike its prices this year, blaming a weaker yen. The country's biggest clothing store chain may be hoping the move will help restore profit margins.

Despite another challenging year for retailers in 2013, international expansion, support for workers in the clothing supply chain, and innovative merchandise were on the list of accomplishments for some. However, others were forced to enter administration amid increased competition.

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Luen Thai Holdings is Hong Kong's largest listed garment firm, with 34,000 employees, revenues of around US$1bn and a flagship business that produces over 80m garments a year - as well as footwear and bags - from production bases in China, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Cambodia. In the first of two articles based on a conversation with just-style managing editor Leonie Barrie at the recent Prime Source Forum in Hong Kong, CEO Henry Tan calls for industry-wide collaboration in a bid to increase efficiency and offset rising costs in the apparel supply chain.

Fast Retailing Co today (14 December) opens its first Uniqlo brand casualwear store in France, making this the fifth overseas market for the firm following the UK, China, South Korea and the US. The Japanese company’s creative team talks to Michael Fitzpatrick about their mission to build a new urban cool image for its global flagships.

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Fast Retailing, owner of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain and Asia's largest fashion retailer, has established its first facility to research and develop new fabrics, fit and finishes for its denim products.

Fast Retailing, owner of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain and Asia's largest fashion retailer, has invested JPY400m (US$3.8m) in a joint venture with specialist knit machinery manufacturer Shima Seiki Mfg, in a move designed to increase production of its Wholegarment seamless knitwear.

Fast Retailing, owner of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain and Asia's biggest global fashion retailer, has announced its GU casual fashion brand will launch in Hong Kong next year in a move the company says is a "huge step forward" for the unit's global expansion.

Fast Retailing, owner of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain and Asia's biggest global fashion brand, saw earnings slump in its last fiscal on foreign exchange losses and impairment costs related to its Uniqlo Japan and US stores.

Inditex, Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) and Benetton have been praised by environmental activist group Greenpeace for being on track to clean up their chains, while Victoria's Secret, Esprit and sports brands Nike and LiNing are lagging behind the field.

Japanese retailer and Uniqlo casual clothing parent Fast Retailing has cut its full-year profit guidance by almost a half after a stronger yen and weaker sales at Uniqlo Japan led to a 55.1% drop in first-half profit.

RevoLaze has signed what it hopes will be the first of a number of license deals for its laser technology with Japanese retailer Fast Retailing, owner of the Uniqlo brand, following the closure of its recent ITC patent dispute lawsuit.

The most-read stories on just-style this week include a look at how C&A's overhaul of its fit and product development processes is paying dividends, Uniqlo and Toray ink a new sourcing deal aimed at reducing lead times and optimising production, and Cambodia approves a draft union law despite criticism.

Fast Retailing-owned casual clothing brand Uniqlo has inked a new five-year sourcing deal with Japanese textile maker Toray Industries in a move aimed at reducing lead times, optimising production and "creating a new industry centered on the future".

Fast Retailing, the Japanese parent company of fast fashion retailer Uniqlo, has forecast profit growth below analyst expectations for its next fiscal year amid losses at is Uniqlo and J Brand US businesses last year.

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One of the most popular reports published on just-style each year is our annual briefing on apparel industry issues to watch in the year ahead. And for 2015 we have again asked leading executives for their feedback on the challenges and opportunities likely to emerge.

just-style turned the spotlight on Ethiopia last week, marking the release of a new research report looking at the country's emerging apparel and textile industry with additional insights into its rising potential for sourcing garments.